Electrical method and apparatus



Sept.' .9 1924. 1,508,360

R N. coNwl-:n v

ELECTRICAL METHOD AND APPARATUS Filed May' 11, 1921 v 2'snrs-snn zmvENToR AT ToNEY l,

` nating currents.

Patented Sept, l9, 1924.'

1,508,36a p' TENT carica.:

nonLIN N, coNW-ELL, or BLooMrmLn, New 'Jansma ELECTRICAL METHOD ANDvAPPARATUS.

Application filed May 11,

Torlll whom 'it may concewi' Bc Ait known that I. Ror'i'lIiN-N.'CoNwELL, a citizen of thc United States, and a resident. ofBloomfield, countyof Essex, State of New Jersey, have invented anvImprovement in Electrical Methodsand Apparatus, of which the followingis a specification.

This invention Arelates to electrical methods and apparatus, and withregardto certain more specific features, to methods and apparatus foruse in connection with alter- Among' the several tion may be noted theprovision of inexpensiveand durable electrical apparatus for -efiectingthe various results hereinafter indicated, utilizing inductive action;and the provision of simple V'and reliable methods Vof attaining suchresults. Other objects will be in'part obvious and in part pointed outhereinafter.

The invention accordingly com rises the features' ofconstructien, stepsan sequence ofl steps, combinations of elements and ari rangements ofparts, which are exemplified in f the'- descriptionl hereinafter 'inconnection with the' accompanying drawingsfand the scope of theapplication of'which will` be various vention, F-ig. 1 is paratus; 1Fig. '2 is and Fig. 3 is a plan of the parts shown in Fig.

possible embodiments offth'e in'- an elevation of one form of ap 1,excluding the connections.

Similar reference characters indicatel corresponding parts throughoutthe several 'views of the drawings.

Figure 1. Const'mwtz'mf-Referring now more ari ticularly to Fig. 1,thereare illustrate at. S1, S, two sources of alternating current,

-` vice suc which maybe derivedfrom one or more circuitsga transformerT1, Tf'for each of said res 'ctive sources; an induction de- Eens theprimary winding X1, X for each ogsaid respective transformers; a leg or'ole piece or .core element L1, LA for cacho said respectivetransformers; and a secondary winding Y1, Y for each of said .letame .wt

respective transformr a. similar view of a modification;

suitable.

i921. serial mi. 468,585.

of the primary and secondary windings 'of i the respective transformers.

Another ux is induced by current pass ing through two other windingsO\V1,'OW connected to the respective secondary windings. Y1., Y5 of the;transformers. 'These two other windings are each wound upon 65 two legsOLZ, -OL in ,such manner thatv their magneto-motive forces normally oppose 'one another. The net iux, if 'ot-herr*-- than zero, cooperateswith the transformer fluxes. .These several fluxes induce electricl 79currents in one o r more conductors,for some useful urpose. In thepresent embodiment o the inventionv (see Figs. 1 and 3)- the conductoris a movable element, to wit,-

a disc G pivoted as at 10 to one side of the-w75 'I .induced thereby7`in the driven element G.

The drivenelement G may simply allo'w an.: observer` to determineitsposition and direction of movement, as in synchronizers.. Ort'he-driven'element may deliver'mechani- .8 5 cal'power-.for powerpurposes, -or run a totaliz'eoroperate a pointer or recording device(stylus or the like) 'or contacts or malitythat causes the torque.Such'torqu'e may be used for any of theseveral purposes above named, forwhich'such torque may be 100 Normal chdtom-#In tracing the severalcurrents and fluxes during normal condition, assume the'two sources ofpower S1, SF

to be' in phase, and the ampere turns inthe 105 two`primaries equal, andassume an instant.A l

when the right-hand A- conductor :hat each:-

lof the latter winding. The latter-current flows to the lexft throughthe front side of the other wind1ngOW1 on the left leg OL?, and to.theright through vthe front ,side of said winding OW1 on the right le`OL. Current in primary Xi flows to the eft on the front side of thewinding, inducing Vin secondary Y a current flowing to the right on thevfront side of the latter windin. AThe latter current flows to the.right t rough the front side of the other Winding OW5 on A the left legOL, and to the left through the front side of said .winding OW5 on theright leg OL. -The proportioning ofthe windings and .other factors ispreferably such 'that'this opposite flow 'of currents'in theothergwindings OW1, OW5 produces nor-l mally zero flifx in' the legsOL1, OL. As there is no traveling field acting on the disc, the discdoes ot iotate. l

Abnormal condition I -Uaused by relatve=inorease of current at som'oS1.- In

T tracing the several currents and fluxes upon i a departure from normalcondition, assume' ,tlre currents at the sources of power S1, Sin,

and the 'current-lat'the s ource S1 larger th'annormal with'respect to''current at source S5.- At this time, the directions pftlfq ,severalcurrents are the sameas during normal condition.. The fluxes, however,are different. The transformer; luzl: flowing throii'gh'-l legs L1 and-Lf is of'greate'r magni- -tude than 'the transformer flux 'fl-owingthrough'legs *L8 and L5. The 'current 'in the secondary Y1 and hencein*kv the other winding OW'1 is fthus greater than the cur# -rent insecondary Y5 and other winding OW. The flux due t the l differential action oother w`indings;OVV1,OlV5 is no longer zero, 'but hasa magnitudedetermined by the extent '0finequality between the ampere turns inthe'other windings OVV1, OVW.

That is, the larger the difference between the currents in the otherwindings, the" larger 'is the other fluxg. and with the current'in`vinding OW1 the greater, the other flux his one'phase'relation with'thetransforme'i''fluxes, while if the current in winding OlVfwere thegreater, the other flux would have a different phase relation with thetransfor er fluxes. -v

( A) Assume the instant hand conductor :1t-each source of 'power 1s."plus.- The leg -L1-'at the portion adjacentthe disc" G istherefore'zero. and the same is ttfue of the .'eg L, so'Y far asthetransforrder fluxes thereinare concerneth -The leg '3 is of oppositepolarity to legs L1, L5 andis also zero. The net'flux due to the'preponderance of wimding OW'1-over windmg. OlVs 1n' thi'instanee lagsbehind the transformer fluxes. The extent of lag, forthe pr-posc of theanalysis hereinafter, may

be co'nsidercd'as nominallyl ninety degrees;

for brevity the term quadrature is usedhere- `At-this instant, then,

X5; there isthus minus polarity at legs L1 and L5 and plus at leg L1.'Since the other flux lags ninety degrees behind'the transformerfluxes',l said other flux is now zero at' the legs OLA and OL. At thisinstant, then, the five legs are respectively minus, zero, plus, zero,minus, which means .that theplus polarity 'has traveled from leg OU tolegLs.

(C) 'Assume now an insta and the several currents andfluies'aretliusone-half c vcle 'behind'their direcfionsand values -at theinitial'instant, indicated-"n ft @hath-er one. quarter cycle later. The'r1ght-hand terminal at each'source of power is` now inrn'us',"

paragraph A above.` The five legsar' thus i now respectively zero,minus, zero,plus, zero 'f which means that th'e plus ppfx'arityjtraveled from leg L3 to leg O n. I v (D)y Assume now an instantanotherfone-r'. quarter cycle later, that is, threequa'rt'ers of a cvcle later than the condition in para-'-l graph A. The two terminals ateachsource ofpower are now o f z ero potential andthe 'severalfcurrentsand fluxes are one-half'eycle behind their directions" and `values atthe instant' indicated in paragraph B above.' The five'legs are-thus nowrespectively plus,

zero, minus, zero, plus, which means that the plus polarity has traveledfrom leg OL to leg Li and appears at legfOLz.

' (E) Assume now an instant another onequarter cycle later, that is, anentirercycle 'later than the condition in paragraph A. The live legs arenow of the same polarity as at the instant in paragraph A, nainelyg'respectively vzero, plus; zero, minus', zero, which means that the plus-polarity has traveled from leg L1 to'le'gv OL2.

The traveling iield thus produced causeselectric currents in'the disc G,and the reaccaused by said currents produces torilue in' 'the disc.

Abnormal condition II.-0ause d by rela- N'ext' may bev traced theseveral"4 currents and fluxes when the 'departure-from'- normalcondition yiscaused 'by `the 'current at 'the respect tov thefcurrent atsource l ssumefir'st the.. instant whenv the Yrigltfhandlvcon'di`1ctor'-at'v each source of Vpower is plus tionbetween saidfluxor field andthe flux source S5 becoming larger'thanfnormalwithadjacent the dis@ G is 'new zero; and the same is true of the leg L,so far as the trans- Vlas -former fluxes therein are concerned..A Theleg L? is of opposite polarity to legs L1,

Li and is also zero. The net4 flux due to the preponderance of. windingOW5 over winding OV 1-. may be considered as ninety degrees ahead theinstant in. question, the leg OL2 is minus and 'the leg OL* is plus. Atthis instant then, the five legs 'are respectively zero, minus, zero,plus, zero.

(B)- Assume now an instant one-quarter` cyclelater. -Thetwo terminals ateach source 0f power are now of zero potential, produc- 'I ing zerocurrent in each primary X1, X5: there 1s thus minus polarity at legs L1,L".

Since the otherl flux leads -the transformer fluxes by ninety degrees,said other-flux is- At this' half cycle behind their directionsarndf'values'- at the initial instant A. The fivgmleffi are thus' nowrespectively zero, plus, zero, minus,

zero, which means that the plus polarity has traveled from leg Ls to legOL.

D) .Assume now an instant another onequarter cycle later, that is,three-quarters of a cycle later than the condition in paragraph A. Thetwov terminals at each source of power are now of zero potential and theseveral currents and fluxes are one-half cycle behind their directionsand values at theinstant indicated in paragraph B above. l The five legsare thus now respectively plus, zero, minus, zero.'plus, whichv meansthat theplus polarity has traveled from leg OL2 to leg L1 and alsoappears at leg L".

(E) Assume now an instant another oncquarter cycle later, that is, anentire cycle later than the condition inparagraph A. The five legs arenow of thesame polarity das at the instant in paragraph A. namely,

' res ectively zero, minus, zero. plus. zero.

which means that the plus polarity has traveled from leg'L? to leg OL.

Rsum-Thus anvexcess of current at the source of ovver..,S1 relative tothe current at source L 5 (abnormal condition'I) causes /travel of pluspolarity 'and hence torque in one direction while a relative excess ofcurrent at the source of power S5 (abnormal condition II) causes travelof plus polarity and hence torque in the opposite direction.

'In the latter case, as in the former, the

of the transformer fluxes. At

'prismg magnitude of said relative excess of current determines themagnitude of thetorque', for the reasons above noted.

The apparatus is thus simple in construction, may be made sensitive tosmall departures from normal condition, and is yet' ditions.

' F z'gure 2.' v

In the modification illustrated in Fig. 2, there are twosources S3, S ofalternating current, which'may be derived from one or more circuits. Thetransformer T, comprimary Xs and secondary Y, is mounted on 'a leg L,the free end of which isl adjacent the movable" element G. Similarly-the transformer T5., comprising priruggedenoughto endure severe serviceconmary X and secondary Y6, is mounted on a leg L5, the free end ofwhich is also adjacent the movable element G. findings OWs are incircuit with secondaryY? an`d are so positioned upon legs OLz and OL* asto act cumulatively Ain producinga fiux gxrgugh these two legs.Similarly windings are in circuit with secondary .Y and are sopositioned upon legs OL1 and OL, as to act cumulatively with one anotherin .producing a flux through these two'legs Normal condition- Duringnormal condition, "with equal fluxes in the two transformers, and equalfluxes induced by the two sets of other windingUWOWfFthe-discdoes-- notrotate.

Abnormal 'condition [-Uausd tice increase of current at source 'Sur-Whenthe current at source S3 increases with respect'to the current at sourceS,.the currents How as during normal condition, but the iiuxes aredifferent. The 'iiux in transformer T3 is relatively greater thanbefore, and the current in secondary Y3 and hence in: the other windingOW.s has relatively increased,

. thereby relatively increasing the flux' in legs OLz and OL due to thelatter current. Thus the fluxes in legs OLl and OL.

-the fluxes in legs OLz and OL* dominate A) Assume the instant when the'righthand conductor at each source of powferxs plus, as in Fig. 2. Thecurrents then fiow as indicated by the arrowsin Fig. 2. The

leg L3 at the portion adjacent the disc is therefore zero, and the sameis true of the leg L, so far as the transformer iiuxe's there` in areconcerned. The net dux due to the preponderance of winding OWs overwinding OW is assumed as ninety degrees-'behind the transformer iiuxes.stant in question, the leg OLz 1s thus plus 'At the infiux in the lattermay be disregarded. The polarity of legs OI and OLs 1s opposite to thatof leg Ls at this time vand is there e zero. At this instant, then, thefive los and the leg OL is minus. Since the flux in" 125. L3predominates over the flux in L, the f OLI-,'OL?, L3, OL and OLls arerespectively Azero, plus, Zero,ininus. zero- (B) cycle later. 'The twoterminals at each sourcev of power are now at zero potential,

producing zero current ineachprimary X,

X. The fluyes are one-quarter cycle later than at instant A, and thefive legs are thus respectively minus, zero, plus, zero, minus, whichmeans that the plus polarity. has traveledA from leg OL.2 to leg L3.

(C)A Assume iiowan instant another onequarter c vcle later. The fivelegs are thus now respectively zero, minus, zero, plus,ze ro, whichmeans that the plus polarity has traveled from leg L3 to leg OL.

l (D) Assume an instant another. onequarter cyclelater. that is,three-quarters of a cycle later than the condition in paragraph A. Thefive legs are now respectively plus, zero,^minus, zero, plus, whichmeans that. the plus 'polarity has traveled from leg OL* to leg L, andappears at OL.

(E) Assume aninstant another one quar ter cycle later, ,that is, anentirecycle later than. the condition in paragraph A. The

five'` legsare now` of the same polarity as at the instant "inparagraphA, namely, 'respec-,

tively, zero, lus, zero, minus, zero, which means that, 4t e plus Thetraveling fieldv thus producedcauses electric currents in the disk G.'and the reaction between Said fiux or field and the flux caused by saidcurrents produces torque in the disk, tendin l to cause clockwiserotation of the disk Fig. 3).

Abnormal condition II-Uauced by rela,- zz've increase of current atsource S".-In tracing the fiuxesv when the de arture from normalcondition is caused by t ie current at. the source S6 becoming largerthan normal with respect to the current at source S3, the occurrencesabove indicated during abnormal condition I, apply in a reverse sense.That is, the flux in leg L now piedominates'over the fiux in leg L3 andthe polarity of the latter leg may thus be disregarded; and the fiux inlegs OLl and OL5 predominates over the flux in/legs OL' and OL.1Analysis of the polarities throughout a cycle shows that the torqueproduced in the .disc now tends to rotate the disc in the directionopposite' to the direction' during abnormal condition I.

' Thus, an excess of current at the source of power S3, relative to thecurrent at source.

S's (abnormal condition I) causes travel of plus polarity and hencetorque in one direction, while la relative excess of current at thesource of power S*s (abnormal condition II) causes travel of pluspolarity and hence torque in the opposite direction, tending toA causecounterclockwise rotation of .the disk (Fig. 3). In both cases, themagnitude 'of Assume now ,an ,instant one-quarter" A polarity hastraveledv fromleg L1 to leg OL f said relative excess of currentdetermines the vmagnitude Vof the torque, for the reasons above noted.

In general. vIf during normal condition, the two sources of power of therelay are out ofphase with one anotherby an acute angle, the relaystilldoes not rotate, and, during 7- abnormal conditions, if the tw'o sourcesof power be 'out of phase with one another,

the directions of rotation will be unchanged. A

The above also applies to embodiments of the invention in apparatusother thanrelays,

that is, an acute angle out-of-pbase relation between the currents atthe two sources does.l vnot cause the'resultant field to travel whenspect to the transformer flux is such that no traveling field isproduced 1 p From the above it will be seen that the .several objects ofthe invention are attained and othervadvantageous results achieved.

Asmany modifications of the embodi-v ment above illustrated mightibemade without departing from the spirit or scope of the -butfthe phaserelation of the fiuxwitli represent invention, it'is intended that theabove description and accompanying drawings and claims shall'beinterpreted as illustrative'- and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. In apparatus of thevclass described, in combination, a. plurality ofmagnetically coducing fluxes coacting with the fluxes of said inductiondevices to set up traveling magnetic fields.

3. In apparatus of the classQdescribed, in combination, a. plurality oftransformers, primary-and secondary windings therefor, each ofrsaidprimary windings adapted to' be energizedfrom afsource of power, meanscooperating with said seconda .windings for producing tiuxessubstantially in quadra'- llO ture with the transformer uxes, means forcombining said transformer iiuxe'e and said other fiuxes tol produce'traveling elds, and a. member responsive to said travelin fields.

4. In apparatus of the class primary and secondary windingsther'efor,means for combining said transformer fluxes, each of said primarywindings adapted to be energized from a source of power, meanscooperating with said secondary windin ,for producin fiuxessubstantially in qua rature with t e resultant of the transformerfiuxes, means for combinin fields, "andi a member responsive to saidtraveling fields.

5. In apparatus of the class described, iii combination, twotransformers, means for combining the fluxes thereof, primary andsecondary windings for the transformers, each of said primary windingsadapted to be energized from a source of power, and

- means cooperating with said transformers 4g Hmagnetic fields, and

magnetic fields, the e traveling fields reof relativev predomiforsetting up travelin direction of travel oft versing upon reversal nanceof stren h of current in the primary windings of t e respectivetransformers.

6. In apparatus ofthe class described, in combination, combining thefluxes thereof, primary and secondary windings for the transformers,each of said primary windings adapted. to be energized from a source ofpower, and means cooperating with said secondary windings and saidtransformer fluxes for setitinlg up traveling magnetic fields.

apparatus of the class described, in b combination, a plurality ofmagnetically coacting transformers, primary and secondary windin stherefor, said primary windings adaptedto be energized from sources ofpower, `means coo erating with said secondary windings or setting`r uptraveling a movable member responsive to said traveling fields, thedirection of travel of the traveling fields being dependent upon therelative lmagnitude lof the currents in the respectiv/e primarywindings.

8. In apparatus-of the class described, in combination, a plurality ofmagnetically coacting transformers, primary and secondary windingstherefor, said primary windings .adapted to be energized from sources ofpower, and means cooperating with said secondary windings for producingfluxes coactin with the transformer fiuxes to set u trave ing magneticfields when thecurrent strength in the said transformers exceeds thecurrent strength in the primary winding of another of said transformers.l

9. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, a plurality ofmagnetically co'- acting induction devices, primary 'and secdescribed,inv combination, a plurality of transformers,

sources. two transformers, means for windings for primary winding of oneof ondary windings therefor, said primary windings adapted .to beenergized from sources of power, and means cooperating y with saidsecondary windings for setting up g from the primary winding of onetrans- .said transformer fluxesk and said other fluxes to Iproducetraveling formerto the primary winding of the other transformer.

10. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, a plurality ofmagnetically coacting induction devices, primary and secondary windingstherefor, said primary windings adapted to be energized from sources ofpower, and means cooperating with said secondary windings for setting uptraveling magnetic fields; amovable member; and means whereby saidtraveling fields tend to cause movement of said member, the magnitude ofthe force tending to cause said movementbeing dependent upon therelative magnitude of the currents in said l1. In apparatus of the classdescribed, in combination, a plurality of magnetically o-act'inginduction devices, primary and secondary windin s therefor, said primarywindings adapte to be venergized from sources of power, and meanscooperating with said secondary windings for setting up travelinmagnetic fields; a movable memer; an means whereby said-traveling fieldstend to cause movement of said member, the vmagnitude'of the forcetending to cause said movement bein dependent upon the relativemagnitude of t e ,currents in said sources, the direction of said forcebein dependent uponwhich of said currents preominates.

12, In apparatus` of the class described, in combination, twotransformers, avprimar winding -for each of said transformers, eac ofsaid primary windings being adapted to be connected to a source ofpower, secondary said transformers, means for' combining the transformerfiuxes, means connected lto the respective secondaries and adapted toproduce other `fluxes substantially in quadrature with the respectivetransformer fiuxes, means for combining said other fluxes, and means forcombining the resultant of the transformer fiuxes with the p resultantof said other fiuxes, to form a traveling field.

-1 3. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, twotransformers, a primary winding for each of said'transformers, each ofsaid primary windings being adapted to be connected to a source ofpower, secondary windings for said transformers, means for combining'thetransformer fiuxes, means connectedgtov the respective secondaries andadapted to produce other fluxes substantially inquadrature with therespective trans:- formerfluxes, means for combining said other fluxes,means for combining the resultant of thetransformer fluxes with theresultant of said other fluxes, to form a traveling field; a movablemember; and means xvlfereb)I said traveling field tends to causemovement of saidmember.

v14. 1n apparatus ofthe class described, means -for obtaining fluxesfrom a plurality of current sources, means for producing by means ofsaid fluxes currents of substantially opposite phase to the respectivecurrents of the said current sources, meanswhereby said producedcurrents reduce fluxes substantially-in quadrature with the transformerfluxes, means for combining the transformer fluxes, means for combiningsaid other fluxes, and means for combining the resultant of thetransformer fluxes withthe resultant yof said other fluxes to formaitraveling field.

- 15. In apparatus of the class described, meansfor obtaining fluxesfrom a plurality of current sources, means for producing by means ofsaid fluxes currents of substantially opposite Vphase to therespectivecurrents vof the said current sources, means whereby said Aproduced currents produce fluxes substantially in quadrature with thetransformer fluxes, means for combiningr the transformerv fluxes, meansfor combining said other fluxes, means for combining the resultant ofthe transformer fluxes with the resultant of said other fluxes to form atraveling` field; a movable member; and means whereby said travelingfield tends to cause movement of said member, themagnitude and directionof the force tending to cause said movement being dependent upon therelative magnitude of the currents in said sources.

1. The method of inducing currents in a conductor, which comprisesproducingr magnetically co-acting fluxes from a plurality of sources ofpower, producing from the said 18. The method 0f producing forces, whichy comprises producing magnetically co-acting fluxes from a plurality ofsources of power, producing from the said fluxes fluxes in quadraturewith the first fluxes, and causing said several fluxes te combine toform one or more traveling fields, inducing currents in a l movablemember, the reactions between fluxes caused thereby and the' travelingfields tending to move said member.

19. rl`he method of producing forces,

Awhich comprises producing magnetically coacting fluxes from a pluralityof sources of power, producing from the respective sources fluxes inquadrature with the first fluxes, and

causing said severalfluxes to combine to' form one or moretraveling-fields, inducing currents in a movable member7 the reactions fbetwen fluxes caused thereby and the traveling fields tending to movesaid member.

Q0. In an apparatus of the class described, in combination, twomagnetically co-aoting induction devices, primary and Secondary -wmdingstherefor, said primary windings adapted to be energized from two sourcesof power, and means cooperating with said secondary windings forproducing fluxes coacting with the transformer fluxes to set up rotatingmagnetic fields. f

In testimony' `whereof, I have signed my name to` this specificationthis ninth day -of May, 1921.

